担ぐ

• Reading: かつぐ
• Romaji: katsugu
• Kanji breakdown: 担 (tan/katsu) — carry, bear, shoulder
• Pronunciation: /ka.tsɯ.ɡɯ/

Meaning

To shoulder; to carry on one's shoulder. Also means to set someone up as a leader or to play a prank on someone.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb with three main uses: (1) physically carrying something heavy on the shoulder, (2) promoting or elevating someone to a position of authority (会長に担ぐ), and (3) tricking or fooling someone (担がれた = I was tricked). All three meanings involve the concept of lifting or raising something up.

Examples

1. 祭りで神輿を担ぐのは体力がいる。 Carrying the portable shrine at the festival requires a lot of physical strength.
2. 彼を次の会長に担ごうという動きがある。 There's a movement to set him up as the next chairman.
3. あの話は嘘だったのか、まんまと担がれた。 So that story was a lie? I was completely taken in.

Usage Guide

Context: festivals, politics, pranks

Tone: varied

Origin & History

The kanji 担 combines 扌 (hand) and 旦 (dawn/flat), originally depicting carrying something level on the shoulders. The meaning of tricking someone may derive from lifting someone up only to drop them.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal